China, Vatican peace envoys discuss Ukraine peace plan amid ongoing Russian setbacks

Aug. 16, 2024, 11:28 a.m.

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China has discussed its peace proposal for Ukraine with the Vatican as the latest military offensive has made further gains in Russian territory.

According to a South China Morning Post report, the conversation between Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican's special peace envoy, and his Chinese counterpart Li Hui was relatively unusual, as the Holy See does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Beijing.

“Li Hui appreciates the Vatican’s constant efforts to mediate the Ukraine crisis and provide humanitarian assistance. He stressed that the current situation shows the significance of the six common understandings issued by China and Brazil,” South China Morning Post quoted the Chinese foreign ministry as saying.

Advertisement The six-point plan includes a call for a cessation of hostilities and a negotiated resolution to the conflict.

According to the report, citing the Chinese foreign ministry, the call had taken place at Zuppi’s invitation who thanked the Chinese government for its “unswerving efforts” to promote peace and expressed his appreciation for the six-point plan.

The Vatican has yet to comment on the call, added the report.

Although both Russia and Ukraine have expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue – under specific conditions – the recent offensive has further dimmed the prospects of negotiations happening in the near future.

Ukraine has urged Moscow to accept a "peaceful resolution" after it gained control of numerous settlements within Russian territory for the first time since the war began, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

The invasion has prompted the border provinces of Kursk and Belgorod to initiate evacuations of residents, and on Wednesday Ukraine continued its offensive, striking four Russian airfields with drones.

China has presented itself as a mediator and has recently intensified its efforts to encourage direct negotiations between the two warring sides.

Li has been actively engaging with global leaders, particularly in the Global South, to garner support for its six-point peace plan.

China claims to have secured support from 26 nations and positive responses from over 100 others.

Zuppi also undertook his own peace initiatives last year, including meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Joe Biden, and senior advisors to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zuppi also undertook a three-day trip to Beijing last year, meeting with Li, but details of their discussions have been largely withheld from the public.

Pan Dawei, director of the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, stated that the Vatican and China share a similar perspective on the war.

“In terms of religious significance, the Vatican has a very high position among Western countries,” South China Morning Post quoted Dawei as saying. “If it can join China in [its stance] on Ukraine, of course that is China’s goal,” Dawei added.

Despite China's claim of neutrality in the conflict, its stance has become a major source of friction with the European Union due to widespread concerns about its close relationship with Russia.

The EU and US have imposed sanctions on several Chinese firms, alleging they have supplied Russia with dual-use goods, items with potential military and civilian applications.

With inputs from agencies